Forum Message

1. It is universally acknowledged that we cannot win again ISIL without "boots on the ground".

2. Neither us nor our US or French Allies, far less the Gulf states whose commitment to the fight against ISIL is ambiguous to say the least, are prepared to use ground troops.

3. Thus by common agreement our only hope for victory against ISIL lies in the hands of 70,000 largely mythical irregulars who, when not fighting one another, are also variously doing battle with our own Russian and Turkish allies. Many of these in any event are Islamists, not dissimilar in outlook to ISIL themselves.